An area is roped off after a vehicle rammed into a crowd of people waiting to enter a nightclub along a busy boulevard in Los Angeles early Saturday, July 19, 2025, injuring several people. (AP video screengrab)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A vehicle rammed into a crowd of people waiting to enter a performance venue along a busy boulevard in Los Angeles early Saturday, injuring 30 people and leading bystanders to attack the driver, authorities said.
The driver was later found to have been shot, according to police, who were searching for a suspected gunman who fled the scene along Santa Monica Boulevard in East Hollywood.
It was not immediately clear if the driver was shot before or after the crash or why he drove into the crowd, a police spokesperson said.
Twenty-three victims were taken to hospitals and trauma centers, according to police. Seven were in critical condition, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a statement.
Fire Capt. Adam VanGerpen said a line of people — mostly female — were waiting to enter Vermont Hollywood when they were struck by a Nissan Versa that also hit a food vending cart and valet stand. “This was a very chaotic scene,” said VanGerpen, a public information officer.
People inside came out to help victims in the minutes before emergency crews arrived, he said.
The driver, whose gunshot wound was found by paramedics, was also taken to a hospital. Police did not identify him or disclose his condition.
The person suspected of shooting him was described as a man in a blue jersey with a silver revolver.
“This is under police investigation,” VanGerpen said. “This will be a large investigation with the LAPD.”
Vermont Hollywood was hosting a reggae-hip hop event from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., according to its online calendar. There was no immediate response to a phone message left with the business.
A fight broke out outside the venue beforehand, according to Maria Medrano, who with her husband was there selling hot dogs. Shortly afterward, she said, the car hit the people, and the couple narrowly escaped when it crushed their stand.
“The car stopped once it hit the hot dog stand, it got stuck there,” Medrano told The Associated Press from the hospital. “If not, I wouldn’t be here to tell” the story.
After the crash she heard what sounded like gunshots.
Rebecca English, right, and her mother, Dr. Betsy Green, co-wrote "Little Steps, Big Wins: A Step-by-Step Guide to Early Intervention." The book on child development is now available on Amazon. (Photo by Christine Harper Photography)
Rebecca English believed motherhood was her calling, but she never envisioned a purpose that reached beyond that perspective. Her first son’s birth was not what she expected. Delivered forcefully with a vacuum assist, her baby suffered a seizure shortly after entering the world. In the months that followed, Rebecca clung to the hope that her child was developing normally. But by six months old, subtle signs began to stir her heart, signs that something wasn’t right.
The pediatrician reassured her, “Every child develops at their own pace.” Still, Rebecca felt God whispering to her spirit: Pay attention. Don’t wait.
The self-published title was released in June 2025 and is now available on Amazon. (Little Steps, Big Wins/Facebook)
Rebecca turned to her mother, Betsy Green, for guidance. As an experienced educator and elementary principal, Betsy shared her daughter’s concerns. Together, they began praying fervently for wisdom, then pouring over research for answers.
Together with my mom, we began researching his challenges and looking for ways to help him thrive. But no matter how hard we searched, we couldn’t find a guide to help parents in a similar situation—nothing that walked through the process step by step.
It was during those sleepless nights and tearful prayers that Rebecca realized God was planting a seed for something bigger.
“At first, I asked, ‘Why me? Why my child? Why this trial?” Rebecca says. “But over time, I began to see this wasn’t a punishment—it was preparation. God was calling me to use this experience to encourage and equip other moms walking through the same valley.”
Before the book, Rebecca often found herself sending long, heartfelt messages to parents in need, including one 10-page text to a desperate mother who had reached out for help. That moment crystallized her calling. “This is what God created me to do,” she realized.
Rebecca English, Casey English and their son. (photo submitted)
A mother-daughter mission
Together, Rebecca and Betsy wrote Little Steps, Big Wins: A Step-by-Step Guide to Early Intervention. The book begins in the delivery room and follows their journey of recognizing the early signs of developmental delays, navigating doctors’ appointments, and seeking interventions. It offers practical steps for parents to advocate for their children and, most importantly, reminds them to lean on God’s faithfulness in every season.
Rebecca wrote most of the chapters, drawing from her lived experiences. Betsy stepped in as editor and encourager, helping her daughter remember key details and refine her words.
“As Christians, we didn’t want this book to just be about strategies,” Rebecca says. “We wanted it to be about surrendering the process to God—praying, taking notes, praying again, and trusting Him with the outcome.”
The process of writing brought the mother and daughter closer, but it also deepened their faith. “For some children, delays aren’t noticed until kindergarten,” Betsy explains.“At that stage, it’s possible to catch up—but it often comes at a cost. Parents that notice these deficiencies at age 2 and 3 have a better chance with early intervention to help their child be more ready for kindergarten by the time they turn 5.”
Rebecca knows how overwhelming those early steps can feel. She’s even coached parents through phone calls to pediatricians, helping them find the courage to voice their concerns. “You have to love people through it,” she says. “That’s what I would want someone to do for me.”
Little steps, eternal impact
The book’s title reflects their belief that God uses even the smallest acts of faith to bring about great victories. “Sometimes the smallest steps lead to the biggest wins,” Rebecca says.
Since self-publishing the book through Amazon, the response has affirmed their sense of calling. One Facebook post about the book drew over 3,500 views in an hour. Several friends purchased copies in support, but at least one went to a mom who admitted that it came as an answered prayer.
“We certainly don’t have all the answers,” Rebecca says. “But if we don’t give God glory for what He’s done, then we’ve missed the whole point.”
Betsy Green is an elementary school principal in Lumpkin County. She holds a doctorate in education and has worked in administration and the classroom for over two decades.
Rebecca English is a former teacher turned full-time mom of three. She also cares for her grandmother, who has dementia, and helps her husband run their family business. Together, they see Little Steps, Big Wins not just as a book but as a ministry.
“This isn’t just about my child anymore,” Rebecca says. “This is about showing other parents that even in the hardest moments, God is working. He sees them. He loves them. And He can turn their pain into purpose.”
For more “Little Steps, Big Wins”, follow Rebecca English on TikTok and Facebook.
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Carly McCurry is the publisher of The Cute North Georgian magazine. Her work appears on NowHabersham.com in partnership with Now Network News.
Driver Chase Elliott celebrates in Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Saturday, June 28, 2025, in Hampton, Ga. (NASCAR/Facebook)
DOVER, Del. (AP) — Chase Elliott took advantage of heavy rain at Dover Motor Speedway to earn the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race.
Elliott and the rest of the field never got to turn a scheduled practice or qualifying lap on Saturday because of rain that pounded the concrete mile track. Dover is scheduled to hold its first July race since the track’s first one in 1969.
Elliott has two wins and 10 top-five finishes in 14 career races at Dover.
Chase Briscoe starts second, followed by Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick and William Byron. Shane van Gisbergen, last week’s winner at Sonoma Raceway, Michael McDowell, Joey Logano, Ty Gibbs and Kyle Busch complete the top 10.
Logano is set to become the youngest driver in NASCAR history with 600 career starts.
Logano will be 35 years, 1 month, 26 days old when he hits No. 600 on Sunday at Dover Motor Speedway. He will top seven-time NASCAR champion and Hall of Famer Richard Petty by six months.
The midseason tournament that pays $1 million to the winner pits Ty Dillon vs. John Hunter Nemechek and Reddick vs. Gibbs in the head-to-head challenge at Dover.
The winners face off next week at Indianapolis. Reddick is the betting favorite to win it all, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
This screengrab from the viral video captures the moment the couple was caught on the Coldplay kiss cam.
The IT company CEO captured in a widely circulated video showing him embracing an employee at a Coldplay concert has resigned.
Andy Byron resigned from his job as CEO of Cincinnati-based Astronomer Inc., according to a statement posted on LinkedIn by the company Saturday.
“Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met,” the company said in its post on LinkedIn.
The move comes a day after the company said that Byron had been placed on leave and the board of directors had launched a formal investigation into the jumbotron incident, which went viral. A company spokesman later confirmed in a statement to AP that it was Byron and Astronomer chief people officer Kristin Cabot in the video.
The short video clip shows Byron and Cabot as captured on the jumbotron at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, during a Coldplay concert on Wednesday.
Lead singer Chris Martin asked the cameras to scan the crowd for his “Jumbotron Song,” when he sings a few lines about the people the camera lands on.
“Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy,” he joked.
Internet sleuths identified the man as the chief executive officer of a U.S.-based company and the woman as its chief people officer.
Pete DeJoy, Astronomer’s cofounder and chief product officer, has been tapped as interim CEO while the company conducts a search for Byron’s successor.
Most concert venues warn attendees that they can be filmed
It’s easy to miss, but most concert venues have signs informing the audience that they could be filmed during the event. Look for them on the walls when you arrive and around the bar areas or toilets. It’s common practice especially when bands like to use performances for music videos or concert films.
The venue in this case, Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, also has a privacy policy online which states: “When you visit our location or attend or participate in an event at our location, we may capture your image, voice and/or likeness, including through the use of CCTV cameras and/or when we film or photograph you in a public location.”
Once captured, a moment can be shared widely
“They probably would have got away with it if they hadn’t reacted,” said Alison Taylor, a clinical associate professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business. And by the time the alleged identities emerged on social media, it hit a classic nerve around “leaders acting like the rules don’t apply to them,” she added.
Still, Taylor and others stress how quickly such a video lead to an internet search to find the people involved — and note that it’s important to remember that such “doxing” isn’t just reserved for famous people. Beyond someone simply spotting a familiar face and spreading the word, technological advances, such as the rising adoption of artificial intelligence, has made it easier and faster overall to find just about anyone in a viral video today.
“It’s a little bit unsettling how easily we can be identified with biometrics, how our faces are online, how social media can track us — and how the internet has gone from being a place of interaction, to a gigantic surveillance system,” said Mary Angela Bock, an associate professor in the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Journalism and Media. “When you think about it, we are being surveilled by our social media. They’re tracking us in exchange for entertaining us.”
The City of Cleveland plans to keep its current property tax rate of 5.056 mills, which officials say is necessary to maintain services for the growing community. While the rate remains unchanged, it represents a 1.04% increase over the rollback rate, prompting a required public notification and three public hearings under Georgia law.
According to the city, state law mandates that when a proposed millage rate exceeds the rollback rate, it must be treated as a tax increase—even if the rate itself stays the same. This ensures transparency and gives residents a chance to voice their opinions.
City officials say the goal is to continue providing essential services without raising the rate, which has held steady.
“The Mayor and Council are committed to keeping the millage rate as low as possible while serving the needs of our growing population,” the city said in a public notice.
Three public hearings will be held at the Cleveland Community Center/Police Department, located at 342 Campbell Street:
Monday, August 4 at 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 14 at 8:00 a.m.
Thursday, August 14 at 4:30 p.m.
The City Council is scheduled to adopt the 2025 property tax millage rate immediately following the final hearing on August 14 at 4:30 p.m. at the same location.
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones has announced the creation of a state Senate committee that will consider eliminating Georgia’s income tax.
Jones, who presides over the Georgia Senate, announced last week he will seek the Republican nomination for governor next year. He signaled in his opening campaign video that, if elected, he would push to get rid of the tax. Legislative Republicans and conservative tax policy advocates have long called for abolishing Georgia’s income tax to help the state compete for jobs with neighboring states.
Committee to begin work this summer
The Senate Special Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax will begin its work this summer and wrap up by December 15. Jones created the committee under Senate rules to examine strategies for reducing and ultimately eliminating the state’s individual and corporate income taxes.
“Last year alone, nine states cut individual income taxes, and three more reduced corporate income taxes,” said Jones. “If we want Georgia to remain the No. 1 state for business, we must build on the progress of the last four years.”
Jones pointed out that Georgia has one of the highest income tax rates in the Southeast—second only to South Carolina. He said the committee’s work will focus on finding ways to reduce the tax burden while maintaining the state’s financial stability.
Reduced rate
This year, the Republican-controlled legislature passed a Kemp-backed bill to cut the tax rate from 5.39% to 5.19% retroactive to the beginning of the current tax year.
Democrats who opposed the measure argued that it would primarily benefit wealthy taxpayers.
The 11-member Georgia Senate Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax will include eight Republican senators and three Democrats. Committee members include:
Sen. Blake Tillery (R–Vidalia), Chair – Senate Appropriations Committee
Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R–Dallas), Senate Majority Leader
Sen. Greg Dolezal (R–Cumming), Chair – Senate Transportation Committee
Sen. Ed Harbison (D–Columbus), Chair – State Institutions and Property Committee
Sen. Chuck Hufstetler (R–Rome), Chair – Senate Finance Committee
Sen. Steve Gooch (R–Dahlonega)
Sen. John Kennedy (R–Macon)
Sen. Nan Orrock (D–Atlanta)
Sen. Michael “Doc” Rhett (D–Marietta)
Sen. Larry Walker (R–Perry), President Pro Tempore Nominee
Sen. Sam Watson (R–Moultrie), Chair – Senate Ethics Committee
This article has been updated. WUGA News contributed to this article.
Kathern “Cathy” McEntire Long, age 69, of Cornelia, Georgia, went to be with the Lord on Thursday, July 17, 2025.
Ms. Long was born on October 7, 1955, in Hall County, Georgia, to the late Reece McEnire and Joan Boggs McEntire. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Larry Long; sister, Becky Gibby; infant brother, Greg McEntire; paternal grandparents, Tom and Gertrude McEntire; and maternal grandparents, Pledger and Vernie Boggs.
Survivors include her children, Mary Long and Billy Long; grandson, Austin Long, as well as several other grandchildren; brother and sister-in-law, Terry and Sandra McEntire, of Alto.
Graveside Service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, July 21, 2025, at the Yonah Memorial Gardens with Mr. Everett Huffman officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Habersham County Animal Shelter, 4231 B Toccoa Hwy, Clarkesville, GA 30523.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, North Chapel at 245 Central Avenue, Demorest, Georgia 30535. Telephone: 706-778-1700.
Could this be the season the Raiders put it all together? With Paris Wilbanks now a seasoned veteran under center, a talented RB and WR group, and a defense that has a solid core, there’s a good chance that Habersham Central is in the thick of the region title race. That’s the belief in Mt. Airy – this team is ready.
Head Coach: Benji Harrison (11th Season) 2024 Record: 4-7; State Rnd 1
“The expectations are high,” exclaims coach Benji Harrison. “This team feels like its ready to complete for the region championship.”
Key Returning Players: Paris Wilbanks, Donovan Warren, Jay Feltus, Griffin Cunningham, Tylon Davis, Noah Harkins, Jackson Adams, Sawyer Burgess
Up & Coming Players: “No real newcomers, we have several rising juniors that played last year either on Friday nights or JV that we expect big things,” says Benji Harrison. “They’ve come up in our program, waiting until their time, developed, and are ready to be contributors.”
Offense: Multiple
Paris Wilbanks will be the key at QB as a dual threat. Donnie Warren in the backfield is a huge playmaker as well, and the receiving group that includes Jay Feltus and Tylon Davis will shine.
Defense: 3-3
Griffin Cunningham, Noah Harkins, Jackson Adams, Austin Williams. Those are the names to know for that side of the ball.
Trenches: “Two of our three DL are back,” adds Harrison. “We feel like we have 6-7 guys that can roll and not drop off. On the OL, four of five starters are back. Feel like we can play seven guys there as well.”
Strengths & Areas of Focus
Strengths: “We have guys that like playing football,” adds Harrison. “They play well together and play with great enthusiasm and effort. This team enjoys being around each other every day.”
Focusing On: “Since the beginning of the offseason workouts it’s been all about two things: being tough and disciplined,” states Harrison.
President Donald Trump complains to reporters about the continued interest in the Jeffrey Epstein case during a Cabinet meeting at the White House as Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of State Marco Rubio look on. (AP video screengrab)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Under intense pressure from President Donald Trump’s own supporters, his administration on Friday asked a federal court to unseal secret documents related to Jeffrey Epstein’s case in an effort to put to rest for good a political crisis largely of its own making.
But even if those records become public, it’s far from certain they will appease critics enraged over the administration’s unfulfilled promises of full transparency about evidence against the wealthy financier. Meanwhile, the administration remains dogged by questions about its refusal to release other records in its possession after stoking conspiracy theories and pledging to uncover government secrets of the “deep state.”
Here’s a look at the ongoing Epstein files controversy and what may happen next:
How the case got here
Trump is desperately trying to turn the page on a crisis that has consumed his administration since the Justice Department announced last week that it would not release any more evidence about the sex trafficking investigation into Epstein, who killed himself behind bars while awaiting trial in 2019.
The latest development came Thursday when the Wall Street Journal described a sexually suggestive letter that the newspaper says bore Trump’s name and was included in a 2003 album for Epstein’s 50th birthday. Trump denied writing the letter, calling it “false, malicious, and defamatory.”
Shortly after the story was published, Trump said he had directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to “produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval.”
“This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!” the president wrote on social media.
Bondi then announced that the Justice Department would move Friday to ask the court to unseal the grand jury transcripts. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche filed the motion urging the court to release the transcripts.
Courts are typically reluctant to release grand jury materials
Grand juries decide whether there is enough evidence to bring an indictment, or a formal criminal charge, and their proceedings are secret to protect the reputations of people who end up not being charged and to encourage reluctant witnesses to testify.
Grand jury transcripts — which could show the testimony of witnesses and other evidence presented by prosecutors — are rarely released by courts, unless they need to be disclosed in connection with a judicial proceeding. In fact, grand jury secrecy is such a sacrosanct principle under the law that government officials who improperly disclose testimony are subject to prosecution. Witnesses are not bound by those rules.
Even with the Justice Department endorsement, it could take weeks or months of legal wrangling to decide what can be released and how to protect witnesses and other sensitive victim information.
And it’s unlikely the transcripts would shed any light on a major fascination of conspiracy theorists obsessed with Epstein’s case: the financier’s connections to other powerful figures whom some believe were involved in Epstein’s sex trafficking scheme.
Court have blocked the release of grand jury materials in other high-profile investigations. House Democrats in 2019 sought grand jury testimony from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation while Congress was conducting its impeachment inquiry into Trump. But the Justice Department successfully fought for years to keep the material secret.
The administration could release other records right now
The Justice Department’s decision to seek grand jury transcripts gives the administration a reason to point to the courts to explain why more material hasn’t yet been released. But the uproar over the Epstein files was never about the grand jury transcripts — it was about the thousands of other pages in the government’s possession that the administration now says it won’t release.
Facing outrage after the first release of Epstein files flopped in February, Bondi said officials were poring over a “truckload” of previously withheld evidence she said had been handed over by the FBI. But after a monthslong review of evidence in the government’s possession, the Justice Department determined that no “further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.”
The Justice Department has yet to fully explain why none of that material could be released. It noted in its memo earlier this month that much of the material was placed under seal by a court to protect victims and “only a fraction” of it “would have been aired publicly had Epstein gone to trial.”
Congress’ Epstein files resolution carries no legal weight
House Republicans may vote next week on a resolution that seeks to appease GOP demands for more transparency on the Epstein case. The resolution calls on the Justice Department to publicly release records, but it carries no legal force.
“The House Republicans are for transparency, and they’re looking for a way to say that they agree with the White House,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said Thursday. “We agree with the president. Everything he said about that, all the credible evidence should come out.”
Democrats, with the support of nine Republicans, have advanced their own legislation that would require the Justice Department to release more information about the case.
FILE - Tennessee Volunteers head coach Derek Dooley watches his team warm up before an NCAA college football game on Sept. 22, 2012, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne, File)
Former football coach Derek Dooley is taking steps to run for the Georgia U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Jon Ossoff. The AJC reports two longtime advisors to Governor Brian Kemp, Cody Hall and Chelsey Ruppersburg, have signed on as consultants to Dooley’s potential bid.
Last month, Dooley told the AJC that he was considering entering the race. Since then, Dooley has met with key Kemp supporters and senior advisors to President Trump. So far, two Republicans have entered the Senate race: U.S. Representative Buddy Carter and Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King.
While Ossoff is considered one of the most vulnerable incumbents on the 2026 map, Republicans still consider him a formidable contender with more than $15 million in campaign funds and a list of tens of thousands of campaign donors.
This article comes to Now Habersham in partnership with WUGA News
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff speaks at a campaign rally for Vice President Kamala Harris in Atlanta on Oct. 19, 2024. Ossoff, who is up for re-election in the Senate this year, raised over $41 million in the most recent quarter. (Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder)
(Georgia Recorder) — The 2026 election is still over a year away, but candidates across the Peach State are already hard at work, seeking to win over Georgia voters early and raise funds for their campaign.
Tuesday was the most recent Federal Election Commission filing deadline, when all candidates in federal races must publicly disclose information about how they raise and spend campaign funds. All 14 of Georgia’s U.S. House seats and one of its two Senate seats will be up for grabs next year in what will likely be a closely watched election.
For the numerous federal candidates who have launched campaigns since the beginning of April, the FEC filings offered the first glimpse into how fundraising efforts are going in some of Georgia’s most notable races.
Here’s what the most recent campaign data shows.
U.S. Senate
Incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is the only Democratic senator up for re-election in a state won by Trump in 2024, and will likely face fierce Republican attempts to unseat him as he seeks a second term in Congress.
It’s not clear who he will be facing on the Republican side, but Coastal Georgia Congressman Buddy Carter and Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King have both launched campaigns for the seat. Neither candidate has secured an endorsement from Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp or President Donald Trump, though the two leaders have held at least one meeting to discuss backing a Republican candidate.
FILE PHOTO – Georgia GOP U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter announced May 8, 2025 that he is entering the 2026 Senate race that shapes up as referendum on Trump policies. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
Carter, a self-described “MAGA warrior” who serves on the House Budget, Energy and Commerce committees in Congress, became the first established Republican candidate to declare his bid for Senate shortly after Kemp announced he would not be running.
King followed soon after, announcing his candidacy for Senate while also boasting his loyalty to Trump’s agenda.
Other potential Republican candidates include former football coach Derek Dooley and U.S. Rep. Mike Collins of Jackson, though neither one has announced a campaign for the seat.
But Ossoff, who raised more than $11 million during the first three months of 2025 and over $41 million in the most recent quarter, is currently dominating the Georgia fundraising landscape. In comparison, Carter raised a total of $3.5 million since the beginning of this year, and King has raised $518,000.
U.S. House District 1
Six-term Congressman Buddy Carter’s decision to run for Senate has left a vacancy in his coastal Georgia House district, causing a flurry of new candidates to announce their bids for his seat. Carter, a pharmacist, was re-elected to his seat last fall with 62% of the vote.
Among them are Chatham County Commissioner Patrick Farrell, insurance executive Jim Kingston and former gubernatorial candidate Kandiss Taylor, who until earlier this year served as a regional district chair for the Georgia Republican Party. No prominent Democrats have announced their candidacy yet in the Republican-leaning district.
Kingston, the son of longtime Georgia Congressman Jack Kingston, is currently leading fundraising efforts with nearly $870,000 raised. Farrell has raised $276,000, and Taylor has amassed $8,000.
U.S. House District 13
U.S. Rep. David Scott, a 12-term Democratic veteran in Congress who represents a district in east metro Atlanta, may be in for a fight during next year’s primary election.
At least five candidates have declared primary challenges against Scott, who made history in 2020 as the first Black lawmaker — and the first Georgian — to chair the House Agriculture Committee. Scott, who was first elected to his seat in 2002, has bested primary challengers before. In 2024, he easily sailed over six other Democrats in the primary before defeating Republican nominee Jonathan Chavez with more than 70% of the vote in the general election.
But this year, as he prepares to seek a 13th term in the House of Representatives, Scott is facing growing pressure to step aside. He is currently the oldest member of Georgia’s congressional delegation, having celebrated his 80th birthday in June. He was also ousted as the ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee last December after missing two weeks’ worth of votes due to back issues. Just a few days later, he made headlines for yelling profanities at a Politico photographer who took a photo of him in a wheelchair.
Scott’s primary challengers have also cited his age and health struggles as reasons that the 13th district could use some new representation. State Sen. Emanuel Jones of Decatur, a businessman who was first elected to the state Legislature in 2004, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Scott’s decline was “the worst kept secret in politics.” Jones filed paperwork to run for the seat in January.
Other candidates vying for Scott’s seat include state Rep. Jasmine Clark of Lilburn. A Democrat, Clark flipped a Gwinnett County seat that had long been considered a Republican stronghold when she was first elected to the state House in 2018, and has successfully fended off challengers in the years since. Her congressional campaign leans on her experience as a microbiologist, Emory University nursing professor and mom, citing cuts to Medicare, medical research funding and reproductive health care.
“I ran to be a voice for science and truth in the face of Republican disinformation and ever since I’ve been taking on the toughest fights for Georgia families,” Clark said in a campaign video.
Former Gwinnett County Board of Education Chair Everton Blair, who made history as the first Black and openly gay member of the Gwinnett County School Board, entered the race in April. According to the most recent FEC filings, Blair is in the lead, having raised more than $227,000 as of June 30.
A woman is behind bars in Stephens County after deputies say she was caught with crack cocaine, fentanyl, and other drugs during a traffic stop early Wednesday morning.
Deputies arrested 53-year-old Georgie Dennis around 4:30 a.m. on July 16 after a 911 caller reported suspicious activity near Jenkins Ferry Road and Brookhaven Circle in Martin. The caller told deputies a woman drove into their yard, claiming police were chasing her.
Shortly after, a deputy spotted a blue Honda CR-V swerving across lanes on Brookhaven Circle and pulled the vehicle over. The driver, later identified as Dennis, appeared impaired and had drug paraphernalia visible inside the vehicle, according to the sheriff’s office.
Drugs and cash deputies reported finding inside the vehicle Georgie Dennis was driving during a traffic stop in Stephens County on July 16, 2025. (Stephens County Sheriff’s Office)
A search of the SUV turned up approximately 15.77 grams of suspected crack cocaine, 1.6 grams of suspected fentanyl, six suspected oxycodone pills, seven grams of suspected marijuana, packaging materials, and $6,257 in cash.
Deputies charged Dennis with: Three counts of possession of Schedule II controlled substances with intent to distribute, three counts of possession of Schedule II controlled substances, possession of marijuana (less than one ounce), possession of drug-related objects, driving under the influence of drugs, and failure to maintain lane.
She remains in the Stephens County Jail pending a bond hearing.
“Our deputies on the road never know what they may be facing on a traffic stop or when responding to a call of suspicious activity,” said Sheriff Rusty Fulbright. “I’d like to thank our patrol units who took the extra step to conduct a thorough investigation. As a result, they removed an impaired driver off the street and did their part to help curb the flow of drug trafficking in Stephens County.”
